Children and youths need alternative leisure options to the online world, in particular more open spaces, according to a new study showing that a fifth of young teenagers are problematic internet users or at risk of becoming so.

The results of this research show that the absolute majority of those aged between 13 and 16 are sensible internet users while 15% are at risk and another five per cent are problematic users.  

These figures are similar to those of Spain and Britain, indicating that internet use trends transcend cultural contexts in Western European countries.

Professor Marilyn Clark: “Foster connections with the real world.” Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

Professor Marilyn Clark, one of the researchers, sees our lives becoming more virtual than they are already. “While this research indicates that most children use the internet responsibly, we need to teach our children how to manage their online and offline existence so that the former does not dominate the latter.

“We cannot stop using the internet as it is an intrinsic part of our lives, so we have to learn to use the internet in a manageable way.”

Prof. Clark was speaking to this newspaper ahead of the launch of a report on Wednesday about the prevalence of problematic internet use in Malta among those aged between 13 and 16.

The quantitative research study was carried out between November 2016 and January of this year by the National Centre for Freedom from Addictions, within the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.

We need to teach our children how to manage their online and offline existence so that the former does not dominate the latter

A total of 869 students from 18 schools took part in this research, which looked into children’s use and attachment to online video games and social networking sites.

It transpired that 13.9% are occasional users, 65.5% habitual, 15.4%are at risk, while 5.2% are problematic users. 

Occasional users use the internet primarily as a hobby and have good control over it while habitual ones use it more regularly but still sensibly. At-risk users are attached and sometimes prefer being online to being with their friends.

Asked whether the 20% figure was alarming, Prof. Clark insisted we should focus on prevention and the way forward.

“We need to seriously consider alternative leisure options and create open spaces for children and youths.

 “We also need to mobilise our resources to ensure that young people grow attached to real human beings and not only online virtual characters. We need to foster connections in the real world and value real rather than virtual relationships only,” she said.

If children had satisfactory relationships in the real world, they might not feel so necessarily compelled to build ones in virtual spaces.

The need for connection is a basic human need and the internet does bring people together. It is not the big bad wolf – young people have actually found help, made friends and even found partners online, she said.

The study among children follows a similar one that was carried out in 2015 on problematic internet use among 18- to 30-year-olds.

It had shown that the majority of youths (65.9%) were average users while only 0.8% were problematic users.

Prof. Clark said the results were an “eye opener”, considering the moral panic surrounding youths and the internet.  “The study basically showed us that most youths use the internet responsibly. However, we discovered that while men were more likely to be problematic users, so were 18- to 20-year-olds. So we decided to look into internet use by a younger cohort.”

The idea went down well with the foundation, focused as it is on the population’s well-being, in particular that of children.

What is problematic internet use?

Today addictions are spoken of not only in terms of substances but also of behaviour. People could be addicted to work or shopping, for example.

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association – used by professionals across the globe – acknowledges that addiction is not limited to substances and recognises gambling, among others, as an addictive disorder. Internet use is still under study and is not yet classified as an addictive disorder.

Problematic internet use is not just an issue of the amount of time spent online. Preoccupation, or in other words, thinking about what you are going to do online even when you are not online, also indicates a growing attachment to the internet.

Preoccupation could alienate people and make them forget about other things such as chores, family and friends.

When they are not online, preoccupied people appear irritated and anxious.

Another criterion is tolerance and people with problematic use continuously need to spend more time online in order to feel satisfied. 

What can parents do?

■ Do not turn a tablet into your children’s nanny. Play with them instead.

■ Monitor children’s time online and foster control skills.

■ Introduce house rules, such as putting away mobile devices for the whole duration of a meal.

■ Increase media education as media literacy has been associated with an increase in students’ analytical skills, awareness about news bias and reduced internalisation of unhealthy messages.

■ Capitalise on meaningful and flesh-and-blood relationships.

More details, including demographics data and suggestions for the way forward, will be revealed on Wednesday at Antoine de Paule Hall, San Anton Palace. The conference starts at 9am and more information can be obtained by calling 2148 4662.